


Party of Two

by Mareel



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Christmas, Established Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Future Fic, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-09
Updated: 2014-09-09
Packaged: 2018-02-16 17:09:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2277873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mareel/pseuds/Mareel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Snow falls, settling soft and slow"   (from "Snow" - Loreena McKennitt)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Party of Two

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place twenty-five years after the launch of the _Enterprise NX-01_. Jonathan is serving as Federation Councillor, and shares a long-established relationship with Malcolm. It is Malcolm's voice.

 

__________________________________________________

 

Everything is finally ready for tomorrow’s party. The fire is crackling and the scent of wood smoke mingles with the aroma of the pumpkin pies Jonathan spent the afternoon baking, and we can finally just relax. 

He has been planning this for weeks – a Christmas party at our Vermont home. It’s been twenty-five years since Captain Archer first hosted a winter festivals party on _Enterprise_ toward the end of the first year of our mission. 

A lot has changed in the quarter century since that first year’s gathering. With the decommissioning of _Enterprise_ , her officers and crew scattered to other ships or even to other worlds. But several of them are here on Earth to attend a commemoration of the launch. So it seemed like the perfect opportunity to share Christmas in the country. 

We invited Hoshi and Travis and Phlox to celebrate with us. Hoshi is going to bring her ten-year-old daughter. Having grown up in Brazil, Sora has never seen snow and hoped we’d have some. Jonathan assured her there would be at least a bit of white ground cover, though this winter has been a dry one so far. 

Travis – Captain Mayweather since last year – is on Earth for the celebration and is bringing his partner, whom Jon and I have never had a chance to meet. And Phlox has never lost his enthusiasm for Human cultural traditions. He immediately offered to bring mistletoe.

It’s been snowing since mid-afternoon. Starting with a few lazy flakes, it quickly began to accumulate. When I come back inside with another load of firewood, the tree branches are beginning to sag under their heavy white burden. 

Stamping the snow off of my boots, I make a suggestion. “Maybe we should call up a weather forecast. Find out how much is predicted.” 

Jonathan’s smile is warm, and he is unconcerned. “You can if you like. But I don’t have a lot of confidence in the predictions. But this snowfall is going to be beautiful in the morning when the sun comes up and glints on the meadow.”

We spend the rest of the evening by the fire, enjoying the sparkling lights on the small fir tree we decorated. I don’t even remember falling asleep there. It’s nearly midnight when Jon wakes me, suggesting that the bed might be more comfortable. Now that the fire has died down, it’s gotten a bit chilly, but that’s not the only reason I’m happy to oblige. There have been too many years when Christmas was a footnote to war, or when our jobs kept us apart. Just being together is cause for celebration. 

After banking the fire, Jonathan takes another long look out the window, where the snow is still falling, unabated.

“I hope the shuttles will be able to get everyone here tomorrow.” For the first time there’s a hint of worry in his voice. The storm is already stronger than anyone had predicted. 

I try to reassure him as we climb into bed. “This is Vermont. They know how to deal with snow. I’m sure it will be fine.” He nods and adjusts the eiderdown duvet to cocoon us and hold in the body heat we're going to generate, and then reaches for me to draw me close. After the lovemaking – slow and gentle – I’m awake just long enough to hear his breathing slow into the rhythm of sleep before drifting off myself, wrapped warm in his arms.

_______________________________

 

By morning, it’s clear that we’re snowed in. No one is going to be getting in or out of the area today, as the stalled storm continues to drop more snow while it lingers. Even if the shuttles could land safely, there would be no ground transport available. It’s an aspect of rural life that held a certain appeal when we chose to live here – a refuge from a too-public life. 

There’s disappointment in his voice as he notifies our guests that the party will have to be postponed for a few days. But his eyes are sparkling when he returns to bed.

“We’ll celebrate privately. The pies will keep.”

Returning his kiss, I whisper, “This might be my best present. Just having you to myself – a party of two.”

I can feel his smile against my lips and his words make me shiver, but not with cold.

“Let’s make the most of it, Malcolm.”

__________________________________________________

 


End file.
